Hopefully you have been enjoying Masterpiece Theatre's retelling of all six of Ms. Austen's novels. And hopefully you are not like my sweet husband who says that her novels, "pretty much write themselves." (Though no one could accuse Louis L'Amour of being formulaic...)
I have been thinking about this celebrated lady, and wondering why we love her so dang much. I think it's a lot of things. One is that we so badly want to be one of her heroines, because let's face it, she knew what good women aspire to be. Her heroines are simple, smart, good, talented, popular (with out being a "mean girl"), witty, and they always understand that there are far more important things than money and good looks.
Another reason we love her is that she created such great men. Darcy, Brandon, Wentworth, Knightly...the list goes on. All rich, but just. Handsome, but never vain (though often misunderstood). They would rather have a smart wife than a pretty one. They pine, they protect, and they own property in something known as "the Lake District".
Her villains are all recognizable. They aren't murderers or thieves, but rather they are petty, jealous, mean and greedy. The worst sin one could commit is to treat people badly, and not live up to ones word.
Finally, her world is the most just and fair place in all the literary world. By the end of the novel, each character is rewarded or punished in exact accordance to their behavior. If you are good and learn all your life lessons, you are rewarded with a handsome husband and a grand estate. If you are bad and compromise your values, you are cast out of good society and exiled to live far away from the good people.
Oh to live in her world! Oh to "Summer in Bath" or "Dance the next set". Oh to only wear empire waistline dresses!
She totally rocks.
5 comments:
Admitting it.. I have never read a single one of her books, and I haven't seen any of the movies. No clue.
"Oh to wear empire waistlines" amen sister! I feel so behind the times because I have just really discovered her. Her stories are so beautiful and truley timeless. So funny you blogged about this I was just thinking this morning how Jane Ausin's stories are so good that they will never be forgotten.
Fantastic Austen commentary! I couldn't agree more...except for the empire waist thing. They are comfortable, but I truly long for a conceiling hoop type skirt. The things I could have for desert!
Persuasion is my all-time favorite. Her over-heard conversation with Harville gets me every time!
If I could only have lived in Jane's world. And I agree, you gotta love the "perfect" men she had such a talent of creating! I personally would have chosen Edward. And ah, yes, the empire wastes....can't wait to watch masterpeice theatre (especially after the job they did of Jane Eyre!!)
Post a Comment